Camp Kawartha is thrilled to have assisted in the establishment of the Peterborough-Kawarthas-Haliburton as a Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development as designated by the United Nations University and endorsed by UNESCO. RCE’s recognize regions from around the world that demonstrate leadership in dealing with sustainability related issues and support collaboration and networking within and among RCE’s internationally to encourage even greater innovation and collaboration.

Our region was selected through a juried review process by the Ubuntu Committee of Peers, and was among only a few to receive the prestigious designation. This is a true testament to the leadership and commitment to sustainability demonstrated across this region. In addition to Toronto and Sudbury, Peterborough-Kawarthas-Haliburton is only the third RCE to be designated in the province, and the eighth in Canada.

A diverse partnership that included academic institutions, governments and government agencies, private sector partnerships, and NGOs came together to support the development of our region’s RCE application. The success of this application speaks to our long history of transformative and collaborative education to achieve local and global sustainability goals. Our application identified five long-term objectives that will guide the work of the local RCE network moving forward. These include:

To recognize the vital importance of Indigenous Knowledge systems as they engage across all curricula

To implement age-appropriate sustainability and stewardship education frameworks from pre-school to secondary school, in both formal and informal settings. Camp Kawartha is assisting in this area through its Pathway to Stewardship & Kinship Initiative. To find out more, visit: campkawartha.ca/pathway-to-stewardship/

To build strong bridges between school curriculum and the spectrum of programs offered at Trent University and Fleming College

To link post-secondary programs and community-based training programs to green jobs, research, and innovation in the region, and

To develop reciprocal exchanges of sustainability knowledge and practice between residents within the region and with communities across the globe

While the work of this newly established RCE network lies before us, this designation will serve as a meaningful platform and catalyst for deeper partnerships and sustained collaborative action – helping to create a more sustainable future.